Assessing the prevalence and patterns of COVID-19 vaccine side effects among Syrian adults: A cross-sectional study.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and patterns of COVID-19 vaccine side effects among Syrian adults, with a focus on the AstraZeneca and Sputnik Light vaccines, in light of the low vaccination rate in Syria (below 18%) attributed to fear of side effects. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and May 2022, using probability-based and convenient sampling strategies. Data was collected through online, paper, and face-to-face questionnaires that included demographic and vaccine-related questions. Result: Out of 3,766 participants, the majority were female (56.7 %) and aged 18-24 years (53.3 %). Most participants had a university-level qualification (71.2 %) and were related to the medical sector (53.2 %). A significant proportion (47.0 %) received AstraZeneca, Sputnik Light (22.1 %) and Sinopharm (14.7 %). Common side effects included sleepiness and lethargy (50.0 %), fever and chills (45.0 %), and pain/swelling at the injection site (35.9 %). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that male (OR: 0.57, CI: 0.48-0.68) and participants aged 45-65 years (OR: 0.53, CI: 0.40-0.70) were less likely to experience side effects. Participants who believed COVID-19 posed a high threat to their personal life had higher odds of side effects (OR: 1.74, CI: 1.22-2.46). Vaccine type was also associated with side effects, with Sputnik Light (OR: 2.52, CI: 1.85-3.46) and AstraZeneca (OR: 1.61, CI: 1.26-2.05) having increased odds. Conclusion: Our study found that COVID-19 vaccines are well tolerated among the Syrian population, with short-term side effects that typically resolve within three days. These findings are expected to bolster vaccination rates through enhanced public confidence and acceptance.

Fears and misconceptions toward COVID-19 vaccination among Syrian population: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Despite the significant milestone of vaccine discovery, the spread of misinformation and pseudoscientific claims has resulted in an increasing number of people refusing vaccination in Syria. In this study, we aimed to explore fears and misconceptions towards COVID-19 vaccines among the Syrian population. Methods: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study between January and May 2022, using a convenience sample of 10,006 participants aged at least 18 years and living in Syria. We administered a validated online/paper questionnaire and conducted face-to-face interviews. We used SPSS software (version 26) for statistical analysis, assessing our data using frequency and χ 2 tests, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The majority of the participants were female 6048 (60.4%), university degree holders 7304 (73%), and from urban areas 8015 (80.1%). Approximately half of the participants 5021 (50.2%) belonged to the medical sector (49% had concerns about the vaccine). Females, university degree holders, and participants with a history of symptomatic COVID-19 were more likely to have fears about the vaccines. The main concerns about the vaccines were the rapid development, fears of blood clots, and common side effects. The prevalence of some misconceptions was relatively high, such as the belief that the vaccine is an experiment or a secret plan to reduce the population. Reliable sources are crucial to fight misleading information on social media. Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccine is key to controlling the spread, but acceptance rate is critical. High variability in vaccine acceptance and high vaccine hesitancy can affect the efforts to terminate the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing the barriers associated with the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination will be the cornerstone to achieving maximum vaccination coverage. It is important to consider the reasons for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine when interpreting the results of any study on vaccine attitudes among the Syrian population.

Urinary stone disease in Syrian children.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric urinary stone disease (USD) is a costly medical problem. This study aims to assess the clinical characteristics and outcomes of common and rare causes of pediatric USD. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive cohort study included all children < 13 years of age with confirmed USD admitted to the Children's University Hospital in Damascus, Syria, from January 2013 to December 2019. The study sample was divided into two groups based on etiologies: common and rare causes groups. RESULTS: We evaluated 235 patients; 147 of them were males, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.7:1. The common causes group consisted of 203 patients (mean age 3.52 ± 3.66 years) and mainly included metabolic disorders (45.5%) and anatomical abnormalities (22.3%), while the rare causes group included 32 cases (mean age 4.93 ± 4.08 years), 12 patients with uric acid stones (37.5%), 7 patients with cystinuria (21.9%), and primary hyperoxaluria in 5 patients (15.6%). In addition, 39.6% of study patients were born to consanguineous marriages. Sixty-two patients developed AKI, and eleven patients had chronic kidney disease (CKD). Patients with rare causes were more likely to have AKI, CKD, bilateral stones, and recurrent stones (P-value < 0.05). Stone analysis was performed on 83 patients, and the main stone types were calcium oxalate (34.9%), uric acid (14.4%), and struvite stones (12%). Surgery was the most performed treatment in 101 patients (56.7%). CONCLUSION: Patients with rare causes of pediatric USD are at a higher risk for severe complications and require early diagnosis and management. The high rate of uric acid stones in our society requires further evaluation for possible underlying causes. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.